Don’t let bone health be a skeleton in your closet

Women across the UK are generally very good at looking after their outward appearance, and it’s estimated that they will spend a staggering lifetime average of £70,000 on beauty products. However, when it comes to the inside, how many of these will be thinking about caring for their bones?

The human skeleton has between 270-300 bones at birth, but as we enter adulthood we only have around 206. Don’t worry, we don’t lose any along the way, some fuse together as we grow, such as the skull. The density of bones also increases until a person is in their late twenties.

At around 35 years old, bone mass begins to decline, and women who are getting closer to the menopause should consider doing as much as possible to look after their skeletons to try to avoid the devastating conditions like osteoporosis. Here Simon Bandy, General Manager of Veganicity, offers his tips on looking after our bones.

Get pumping

We can help build better bones by exercising regularly; experts agree that both cardio and non- cardio weight-bearing training can help improve the health of the bone. Workouts can also be beneficial for strengthening muscles around the bones, which could mean fewer falls in older age and hopefully lessen the risk of fractures and breaks.

Lighten up with calcium

For developing bones, good and easy sources of calcium include almond butter, soybeans or kale. However, to maximise absorption, combine the calcium intake with vitamin D. During April and October a free and easy source is sunlight. To ensure you get a good combination all year try Vegancity Calcium Extra (30 tabs/£2.95). And remember, magnesium and even vitamin K2 are important for calcuim absorption.

Avoid cigarettes and alcohol

Studies have shown that smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can hinder calcium absorption. Another good reason to kick bad habits.

Potassium

Potassium is essential for the healthy functioning of the heart muscle and maintaining stable blood pressure. It may also may help lessen acids known to draw calcium out of the body. You can stock up on potassium quite easily through foods such as sweet potatoes, bananas and nuts. Alternatively try a supplement like Veganicity’s Potassium (30 tabs/£3.45).

Products are available from www.veganicity.com, www.amazon.co.uk and all good independent health shops nationwide.